This invention generally relates to Root Grubbers, and more particularly to a root grubber which is readily attachable to a backhoe or track excavator where the bucket has been removed and has the ability to cut sufficient heavy roots to avoid regrowth.
Root Grubbers are utilized to remove brush and undergrowth from pipeline right-of-ways, railroad right-of-ways and in general clearing operations of land. Numerous root grubbers or root cutting equipment are designed for attachment to some kind of earth moving equipment, such as, backhoes, track excavators, and the like. In most cases the root grubbers have some kind of cutting blade which is mounted between a pair of parallel arms and is straight across or in some instances swept back. Other designs include a rake type tool having a number of tines spaced apart which have the drawback of not cutting the major roots of the underbrush. In some instances the rakes have arcuate tines which are either pushed through the underbrush or pulled through the underbrush.
Typical prior art designs of root grubbing and earth clearing tools are known, a number of which are hereinafter described.
U.S. Pat No. 2,154,970, granted to R. W. Briggs discloses a grubbing implement having a transverse beam and upstanding support legs. Removable v-shaped cutting blades are disclosed which provide a swept back design and are removable from the tool. The blades are in one plane only. Such a design has a tendency for the blades to be knocked sideways by large roots rather than cutting the roots.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,619, issued to C. C. McGee discloses an attachment for a bulldozer or other earth working equipment. The attachment has a series of spaced apart crescent shaped teeth. The lower end of the teeth are supported by a horizontal cutting bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,160,215, issued to W. R. Harrell discloses a blade mounting means for attachment to a bulldozer which provides a pair of vertical or upright cutting blades and a horizontal flat cutting blade. This arrangement provides no means for handling the brush or undergrowth after it is unearthed. The mounting includes ground engaging wheels which limit the depth of the horizontal blade below the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,285, issued to D. W. Murray discloses a backhoe attachment for shearing roots and grabbing and pulling stumps. The attachment includes a plate between a pair of side frames with a shearing blade fixed to the lower underside of the plate, as well as, a bucket or scoop. In operation, the digging lip of the scoop provides a shearing action against the shearing blade upon engagement. The digging lip and shearing blade sever material which is sufficiently soft or grabs material which cannot be sheared. Murray is concerned primarily with excavating and not with root grubbing other than as necessary at the excavation site.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,805, issued to Leon Kelley discloses a flow through brush cutter mounted on a track vehicle with a flat blade having a replaceable v-shaped forward cutting edge for movement along a horizontal plane. The depth of the cutting blade may be raised or lowered from the track vehicle. The brush cutter is mounted at the rear of the track vehicle, thus, the track vehicle must traverse the path of the brush cutter in advance of the flat blade having the v-shaped cutting edge. The swept back design of the v-shaped cutting edge causes lateral movement of the brush cutter upon encounter with an obstruction to large to cut, however, Kelly provides guide assemblies which to some degree limit lateral displacement.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,397, issued to Harold Nault discloses a backhoe or tractor attachment for material handling. The attachment is used with a main frame and a swing frame pivotally mounted on said main frame for lateral and vertical swinging movement thereon. The attachment comprises a first member pivotally mounted on said swing frame, a rake operatively mounted on said first member and a cable or chain connected, on the one hand, to the free end of the first member and, on the other hand, to the swing frame, so that the first member is pivotally connected at one end to the swing frame and is suspended at the other end from the swing frame when the backhoe or tractor is in operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,416, issued to Floyd Perrotti discloses a front end loader having a bucket with a forked type attachment which is pivotably mounted to the bucket and can be raised or lowered, such that, the bucket can engage a log and the fork type clamp can be lowered against the log to hold it. The attachment is also designed for uprooting small trees or the like without sliding upwardly on them.